Facing my old life
by xx.Bel.xx
Summary: THIS STORY HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY 'Turion' AND REVAMPED! MORE INFO ON THE LAST CHAP OF THIS VERSION.
1. Chapter 1

**_I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS_**

This isn't how Katara thought her life would turn out like after the war was over she had imagined that she would settle down, marry Aang, and finally have a normal quiet life. She had tried to live that type of life but it had not worked out the way she had first thought it would. When the war was over she had returned to her home in the South Pole with her brother Sokka and their father Hakota. They had started to rebuild their home and it started to go even quicker with the help of Aang and the Fire Nation. Katara had finally excepted Aang's offer about them becoming girlfriend boyfriend and at first everything was going smoothly but then Katara turned 15. Katara soon realised that Aang was not the boy her mind had made him out to be, he was like a little hyperactive brother that would never take no for an answer and when reality finally sunk in she learnt that the love she had for him was the exact same type of love she held for Sokka and her father she did not love him the way she knew he loved her and she knew she would have to tell him. It had taken her a long time to break it to him but in the end they both agreed that they were not meant to be together and Katara was happy when she saw Aang confess his true feelings for Toph because she had always known the way that Toph had felt about Aang but she was to stubborn to fight for it. Katara's life was now not exactly the way she had imagined it but it was still more than she could have hoped for. That was until her father had told her that when she turned 16 years old she would be of marring age meaning she would be having an arranged marriage being the Princess of the Southern water tribe did not mean she had any say in anything when it came to things like this. Katara was outraged when she learnt that any suitor would pay her father with something to buy her hand in marriage she was not some prize to be won to the highest bidder. The South Pole had finally been rebuilt better than it had ever been it was now a city, a place to be proud of but that did not make Katara feel any more at home. She felt cramped in the huge city like there were four walls surrounding her not letting her out into the fresh air. She was once again trapped and this time there was not a way out without disobeying her family. But she really could care less anymore she was not going to be trapped any longer than she had already been she wanted to be free again like she had been when she had been travelling the world with Aang and the rest of their group. So this is how she got to where she is today.

_**~Present time~**_

Katara stood with her back to the world she lived by her own rules and her own beliefs she no longer followed others she was now her own person and she had never felt more free than she did now. Her family and friends still looked for her she knew this but she knew that they would not find her until she was ready for them to find her. She was now nearly 16 years old and she had changed not only emotionally but physically. She was now emotionally strong she had not shed one tear since she had left almost a year ago she had built a wall around her heart she let no one in unless she trusted them completely. Katara was taller and skinnier than she had been when she was travelling with a group of boys, a blind girl and a skilled girl warrior. She had curves in all the right places with a radiant chest that every girl her age would kill to have. She lips were now redder and her eyelashes were longer and darker. She had a tight arse and perfect legs. But the one thing that stood out more than all of her perfect body features was her hair it was now short.

_~Flash Back~_

_It had been a week since Katara left the South Pole her friends and family were looking for her but she knew how to avoid unwanted visitors. But at the moment all she wanted to do way let go. Let go of everything that had been tying her down making her stay. She had left every personal possession behind that included her mothers necklace._

_Her mother…_

_That was something she had not been able to let go of completely. She was a splitting image of her mother and her mother was someone Katara had always wanted to be like. But she finally realised that she needed to live her own life and stop trying to be like someone else. _

_Katara took a blade from her belt and walked to the edge of a cliff near by where she was camping. She stood at the edge of the cliff watching as the ski was exploding with a mixture of reds, oranges and pinks and the sun hit the mountain tops in the distance as it set. Her hair was blowing all around her captivating her face framing her flawless skin. _

_Her hair…_

_It had been something she had been always proud of something that made her look like her mother. Her hair was exactly like her mothers down to every detail. Long dark and beautiful. It needed to go._

_Taking the blade in one hand and pulling all her hair into the other she took the blade and in one quick and graceful motion it was gone. Dark brown locks of wavy hair flew away in the wind leaving Katara standing there with hair that was now straighter than it had been long coming just above her shoulders. At the front her hair was still long. It was a very ruff job but…_

_This was her. This was the new Katara._

_~End Flash Back~ _

Her hair was still something she was proud of but this time for a different reason this time it was because it reminded her of who she is and not who she is trying to be. After she had cut her hair she had styled it with the same blade she had used in the first place cutting her hair so it looked good. It was now layered and she had given herself a side fringe she then used a water bending technical of her own to make her hair permanently dead straight. Katara's hair wasn't the only thing that had changed her outfits had changed as well.

Her new outfit consisted of what looked like a one piece swim suit that had a slit starting about a inch below her belly button and splitting into two pieces of fabric that covered the middle of her breasts but left cleavage on either side (with the large gap in the middle showing off ski and cleavage) the two bits of fabric went up and connected behind her neck. At the bottom where the slit starts was a black skirt that is connected to the outfit there is two layers one and they both go diagonally inwards the second layer (and final layer) is very short and barely covers anything. Strapped around the bottom layer is two silver bits of cord also following the diagonal rote the skirt follows crossing over in the middle connecting to the right side of the cords are two blades both handles the same holding the same design of a dragon with aqua blue crystal eyes. There was two silver straps going diagonally crossing over right under her breasts pushing them up emphasising her new body more than it already was. She had fingerless black gloves on and black high heal boots that came up to just below her knees. She had a silver bandanna tied loosely around her neck she used this to pull up over her moth to hide some of her face if she was doing something that involved her not obeying laws, around her upper arms were silver rings one on both arm. Her hair was always down dead straight and framing her face. She wore little make up just mascara and eye liner.

This was the new Katara. When she looked in the mirror she saw the beautiful girl that had always been inside her she had just been to scared to let her out. But now she had confidence to be who she wanted to be without anyone standing in her way. She had chosen her outfit for two reasons.

1) Because it made her feel sexy

And

2) Because of what she now did

Katara was a Bounty Hunter she had chosen this because she wanted to travel again, because she wanted to rid the world of the bad people that were still left over from the war and because the money she got from each catch was a great amount.

_**~Now~**_

Katara was currently in Ba Sing Se the capital of the Earth Kingdom she owned a small apartment here. She owned a apartment in every major city so she could move around freely without having to worry about somewhere to stay. Her apartment in Ba Sing Se was above a pub she was friends with the owners and every other person who was a regular in the pub (Its called 'The Drill'). Only Bounty Hunters dared enter this pub and basically every night a fight or three would suddenly start Katara stayed out of the fights as much as she could because she couldn't be bothered beating them to a pulp. Katara was one of the best Bounty Hunters in the lands she had only been at it for less than a year but she had learnt fast.

"Kara?!" A man wearing a mask that covered his mouth and one eye said loudly in Katara's ear making her snap her head up from where she had been staring at a piece of parchment that had a picture of a wanted man on it. When ever she would read wanted posters she would go into her own little world.

"Sorry Torch what is it?" Katara asked she had developed the nickname Kara only her trusted friends knew her full name otherwise she just used her nickname but even her must trusted friends called her Kara. The man standing next to her where she was sitting on a bar stool was named 'Torch' he was around 25 years old and had been a Bounty Hunter since he was 12. Torch and a few others had taught Katara everything she knew today.

"I asked if you are planning to go after this one?" Torch asked pointing to the wanted poster. The picture on the poster was of a man the writing under the picture explained that he had been a torturer he had not only tortured and killed those who deserved it but he did it to innocent women and children for fun. After reading the description and the amount of money being offered as a reward her mind was already made up.

"Yes" Katara said simply looking into the scared and twisted face of the man she would be hunting.

"He is a hard one Hunters come in here all the time after attempting to get him but failing every time last I heard 'Mr Karoo' was in the Fire Nation" Torch said

"Than that is where I am going" Katara said standing up taking the wanted poster with her.

"Good luck Kara and stay safe we both know the risks of you going to the Fire Nation they are just as big as you going near the Water Tribes" Torch said as he hugged the girl he saw as a little sister.

"I'll see you hopefully before the month is over" Katara said before she ran upstairs to pack.

Torch smiled with a hint of mischief he hoped this was what his little friend needed he hoped that if she came back she would be more like she was the first time he ever met her. In a way she was still that same girl but she wasn't at the same time. He hoped what he had just done worked like Iroh had said it would.

- - - -

Katara stood on the edge of the Fire Nation Kingdom she had heard more rumours that her prey was here but she still had to be careful she had picked a terrible time of year to come visit the Fire Nation even if it was on business. It was the time of year that the 'Fire Days Festival' was on meaning that the place would be very busy and there was a chance that her old friends would come to visit and participate in the festival. She just hopped that they would not be here. But even if she did capture Mr Karoo she would have to deliver him to the Fire Lord and her old friend Zuko to hand him in and collect her reward. This is why she tried not to do business in the Fire Nation or in the Water Tribes.

As she walked through the busy streets that were plagued with laughing and smiling people from all over not only Fire Nation were here this year but all the Nations.

'Crap this just makes it harder' Katara thought as she made her way through the crowded streets towards the one person who was from her past but was still in her life now.

She arrived at a small tea house that she had been to many times before it was risky coming here but she knew that Iroh would be upset if she didn't come and visit first. She knew that and was pleased to see that he was sitting in the tea house at one of the small tables sipping lavender tea. He was the only one in the whole store obviously at this time of day no one would want to drink tea when the sun is so hot and high in the sky that is why the tea-house didn't open to the public until 6pm. Katara smiled as she saw him look up as she closed and locked the front door behind her.

"Katara?!" Iroh said looking her up and down

"Hi Uncle Iroh" Katara said as she walked over to him as he stood and hugged her.

"You look different and I'm not talking about your hair, I have always liked it short" Iroh said as he let go of her

"Do you like my new outfit I thought it suited the new me better" Katara said as they sat down at the table Iroh had just vacated and Katara poured herself a cup of tea.

"You look as beautiful as ever but I hope that you are not letting ANY young men touch you. You outfit is very flattering but also revealing" Iroh said as he sipped his tea.

"Don't worry Uncle Iroh you know I can beat the shit out of anyone who tries anything like that" Katara said with a grin as she rested her head in her right hand leaning her elbow on the table.

"So what brings you to the Fire Nation?" Iroh asked

"New prey" Katara said simply

"By any chance is this new pray a man named Karoo?" Iroh asked

"How did you know?!" Katara asked shocked that Iroh knew how her prey was usually she had to tell him.

"Katara promise me that you will not get mad" Iroh said taking another sip of his tea before sitting it down and entwining his hands.

"Uncle Iroh what have you done?" Katara asked raising a eyebrow

"Promise?"

"Yes fine I promise" Katara said using her right index figure to make a cross over her heart.

"I made him up" Iroh said with a huge smirk

"What?" Katara said glaring at him and closing her fists.

"I made Karoo up, he isn't real. So with a little help from a friend of yours ands thanks to Torch you are here. I haven't seen you in months and I though it was time that you had a break, rest" Iroh said the same smirk on his face

"I cant believe this" Katara said dropping her head and bashing it on the table leaving a red mark.

"I travelled all the way here, risking getting caught by my old friends just because you and Torch think I need a break" Katara said looking up from the table rubbing her forehead making the red mark go away.

"Yes" Iroh said simply as he picked up his tea cup and continued to drink from it.

"You have to be kidding me you old evil man" Katara said shaking her head

"No I am not kidding you will stay here for the rest of the month that way you can join in with the 'Fire Days Festival' and at the end of the month there is to be a ball at the palace and you will attend you will relax and have fun. And if you do not I will tell my nephew and all your other friends I have known where you have been for the last year" Iroh said

"Your blackmailing me?!" Katara yelled

"Yes" Iroh said grinning

"OMG you are evil I tell you" Katara said growled throw clenched teeth this as going to be a very long month.

- - - -

Katara woke to the blazing sun of the Fire Nation she rolled over in her bed and pulled the covers over her head groaning. She had gotten to her apartment at 11:30 last night and didn't go to sleep until 12:00. Rubbing her eyes she pulled the covers off her sleepy form and stretched as she slid out of the bed and went and threw the curtains open to her balcony. Her apartment here in the Fire Nation was quiet different to her small apartment over 'The Drill' pub in the Earth Kingdom. This apartment was still small but bigger than the others she owned. It was decorated in dark reds and black. She had a balcony that looked over the city town square.

As she opened the curtains she squinted her eyes at the blazing light the Fire Nation were defiantly early morning people one thing that she had in common with this Nation. She opened the French doors leading out onto the balcony and walked out into the fresh air. She looked down at the already crowded streets she could see the joy and hear the laughter she smiled at how much the Fire Nation had changed under Zuko's ruling he really was the rightful ruler that Iroh had always said him to be.

Katara walked back inside her apartment and got changed she had decided it would be best if she didn't wear her usual outfit because it would draw attention to her. For the next month she just wanted to blend in with everyone else. When she finished dressing she was wearing a dark red skirt that came just above her knees there were slits up either side almost right to the top. Around the top of the skirt was a strip of gold fabric. She had a dark red boob tube on that finished just under her breasts the boob tube had a gold trim. She had a gold circle bar around each of her upper arms and using water bending she added gold hair dye to her hair. She had gold high heals on that had dark red rubies on them.

Smiling at her reflection she did a little twirl admiring herself before she walked into the kitchen and grabbed a apple to eat before she walked out the front door.

She had promised Iroh that she would come and see him every day so he knew she was still in the Fire Nation. Walking through the crowded streets she realised how well she blended in with everyone the only thing that made her stand out slightly was her skin tone but than there were many other people here from all the other nations so she didn't stand out as much as she thought she would.

'Stupid Uncle Iroh and Torch tricking me into coming here and then blackmailing me to stay here for a whole month' Katara thought as she walked through the doors to Iroh's tea-house she was glad that the tea-house didn't open until night this way she didn't have to take the chance of seeing people she recognised.

"UNCLE IROH ARE YOU IN HERE!?" Katara yelled as the doors swung closed behind her she waited patiently but after a while of not getting an answer she started to tap her right foot impatiently on the wooden floor boards echoing in the empty teahouse's main room.

"IROH IF YOU DON'T HURRY UP I AM GOING TO LEAVE!" Katara said as she turned her back to the room preparing to walk away. But she heard the door to the back room open.

"SERIOUSLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE ME WAIT EVERY BLOODY MORNING IROH I WILL JUST LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING HELLO!" Katara yelled and twisted around as she yelled the last word. But who she saw made her throw her hands up covering her mouth in shock and embarrassment.

"Fire Lord I am so sorry" Katara said quickly bowing her head.

'CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!!! WHY ME WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME' Katara screamed in her head.

"It is alright you thought I was my Uncle and I do not care if people yell at him because he usually deserves it" Zuko said as he walked forward he wasn't wearing the type of clothing the Fire Lord would usually wear he was wearing casual clothes like the type of clothing he had worn when they were travelling the world trying to defeat the Fire nation.

"You are very forgiving Fire Lord" Katara said raising her head 'This acting is getting on my nerves already'

"UNCLE" Zuko yelled "GET YOU ARSE OUT HERE YOU HAVE A VISITOR"

"ONE SECOND" Katara heard Iroh yell back from the back room.

Katara took this time to look at Zuko he hadn't changed that much from last time she saw him almost a year ago. His hair was still long and falling in his face he was still a good head taller than her and he looked even more musically than he did before. Over all he was still as handsome not if more than he was last time she saw him.

Katara wasn't the only one that was inspecting the other person in the room Zuko took this time to look at the unknown girl standing in front of him. She came up to just below his shoulders she was skinny and very curvy. She had breasts that most girls would kill to have. Her hair was short and layered with streaks through it. She had perfect legs and her skin was a tanned golden colour that proved she wasn't Fire Nation. But the one thing that stood out the most to Zuko was her eyes her beautiful aqua eyes that looked so familiar but yet he couldn't remember where he had seen them before.

"I'm Zuko please just call me Zuko no titles are needed" Zuko walking forward and holding out a hand for her to take. Katara felt a blush creep its way onto her cheeks. She took his hand and smiled weakly.

"I'm Kara" Katara said using her fake name.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Kara and please I hope you will act like yourself around me like you were acting before you realised who I was" Zuko said Katara blushed even harder when these words left his mouth he then brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

Just as they let go of each others hands the door to the back room opened and Iroh walked out holding a tray of tea with three cups.

"Kara I thought I heard your voice" Iroh said pleasantly as he walked to the same table that he and Katara had sat the day before.

"You stubborn old man I was yelling at the top of my lounges for you to hurry up and you pretend you didn't hear me" Katara growled totally forgetting that a certain Fire Lord was next to her. This made Zuko chuckle as he walked past her and sat down at the table with Iroh.

"Like you said Katara I am a old man my age is finally catching up to me I am very sorry that I was unable to hear you" Iroh said as he poured three cups of tea.

"Finally catching up to you my arse" Katara mumbled but they both still heard her and they both chuckled.

"So I am guessing you to have introduced yourselves to each other" Iroh said as he took a sip of his tea.

"Oh umm" Katara said suddenly very embarrassed.

"Yes we have and I am hoping that I can get to know you better Kara you sound like someone who I could become friends with very quickly. Not many have the nerve to yell at my Uncle" Zuko said

"I umm well yes I would be pleased if we could umm get to know each other better Fire Lord" Katara said nervously forgetting what he had told her only seconds ago.

"Kara?" Zuko chuckled as he took a sip of his tea

"Oh! Umm sorry Zuko" Katara said looking down at her feet blushing deep red.

"Come Kara sit and join us" Iroh said suddenly making Katara look up and glare at him forgetting her embarrassment.

"Sorry Iroh but I must be going I have some business to attend to" Katara said as she turned to walk away but looked back over her shoulder when she heard her name being called Zuko was on his feet again staring at her.

"Promise I will see you again" Zuko said Katara was shocked at this

"I promise and I never break a promise" Katara said giving him a small smile before she fled from the teahouse and ran as fast as she could back to her apartment.

- - - -

Katara had been hiding in her apartment all day she didn't want to go back out again when she had arrived she felt like she was going to break down and cry but she had held the tears back remembering she had promised herself she would never cry again.

She had started to write a letter and was currently signing it before she started to read over it again.

'_**Dear Torch**_

_**I hope you are happy with what you and Iroh have done it isn't every day two of your closest friends plot against you. So far I have been here in the Fire Nation for two days and already I have nearly broken down crying but than I remembered what I promised myself to never cry again.**_

_**Earlier today I was faced with something that I had hoped that I wouldn't have to face while being blackmailed into staying here for the rest of the month.**_

_**Today was the day that I saw he again.**_

_**Today was the day that I saw the one person that you know very well I have loved from the first moment he turned good and risked his life to save mine on countless occasions.**_

_**Today I saw Zuko.**_

_**He is exactly the way I remembered him. Perfect in every way possible. But what hurt even more than seeing him again was him not recognising me. I mean it's a good thing he didn't and I know now that I have changed my look and I have grown up physically I don't look like I used to. But a little part of me had still wanted him to recognise me a little part had wanted him to know who I am. But he didn't recognise me and he didn't know who I am.**_

_**I knew being here would hurt but I never knew it would hurt this much.**_

_**WHY! Did you and Iroh do this to me. Both of you knew how I felt and I am sure both of you knew I would meet him sooner or later. But I hadn't thought it would be this soon. Today has to be one of the worst days of my life and I am NOT kidding. The only thing worse to what has happened today would be if her recognised me and than the rest of my past caught up with me sooner than I had planned it to.**_

_**I am starting to think this is what both of you and Iroh wanted to happen. I am starting to thing you both want to see me break.**_

_**Well let me make it very clear I will not break I am going to stay strong and that is a promise.**_

_**I have promised Zuko that he will see me again and I plan to take the risk of my old life catching up with me to prove to both of you that I am stronger than you think. I will keep both promises.**_

_**And tomorrow is the day I plan to confront my old life.**_

_**Love Katara'**_

She was happy with what she had wrote and than preceded rolling the parchment up and using a water bending move to insure it could not be opened by any other person than who it was addressed to.

- - - -

In her letter Katara had said that tomorrow would be the day she confronted her old life but doing so proved harder than she had first thought.

It had been a week since she had sent her letter and she still avoided Zuko and Iroh as much as possible facing what she had promised herself and Torch was scary. The one thing that ran through her mind every time she saw Zuko was 'What if I get to close what if I get to used to this what if I let my wall down and let him in what if I let myself love him what if he recognises me and what if he hates me for what I did?' They were all 'What if's' and she knew she wouldn't get any answers is she didn't take a risk she only had three weeks left and so far she hadn't proven anything to herself or Torch. Not that she cared what Torch thought anymore this was him and Iroh's fault she was in this mess.

"KARA!" Katara looked around from where her name was being called out from. Her eyes widened the one person she had been trying to avoid was walking towards her.

"Oh hey" Katara said putting on a fake smile she used whenever she was around him.

"Have you been avoiding me" Zuko asked suddenly when he was standing next to her.

"Now why would I try and avoid the Fire Lord who is on of the most powerful Benders in the whole world" Katara grinned

"I'm not sure but what happened to us getting to know each other better" Zuko asked with a smirk

"Well what are you doing today. Your not in the palace so I'm guessing you have just been visiting your Uncle" Katara said

"Yes actually I have been I was just on my way back to the palace when I saw you but now you ask I am completely free today if you are going to take me up on my offer to get to know each other better" Zuko said his cocky smirk still plastered on his lips

"I think I will take you up on that offer" Katara said with her fake smile.

"Kara by the end of the day I promise you that I will get you to actually smile and not just that fake one you use when you try and hide your heart from the world" Zuko said and than walked past her leaving her shocked and confused.

'He see's right through me' Katara thought.


	2. Chapter 2

He had done it he had actually made her smile Katara was amazed she had never though he would be able to do it but he had and he had done it in the most sweet and simple was possible.

_~Flash Back~_

_"Kara close your eyes" Zuko said to her they had spent the whole day walking around the streets they had went into every shop Katara had wanted to and he had bought her things that she had tried to say no to but he brought them anyway._

_They were currently at the Fire Nation palace they had just finished dinner with Iroh it had been lovely Katara had had a great time she had laughed and talked openly with both of them but she had not shown a true smile because the one thing was still making her feel pain. He didn't remember her._

_They were standing out on the balcony off from the dinning hall they had been watching the sunset when Zuko asked her to close her eyes._

_"Why?" Katara asked raising a eyebrow_

_"You will see soon enough" Zuko said with smile. Katara gave in and closed her eyes waiting for god knows what._

_"Open them" Zuko said_

_As she opened her eyes the first thing that she saw was the most beautiful flower she had ever seen. It was a rose but it was aqua blue._

_"Zuko its beautiful" Katara said a huge smile plastered on her face as she took the flower and examined it in the setting sunlight._

_"I told you I would get you to smile" Zuko said making her look up in surprise. She had smiled a real smile not a fake one._

_"I want to see that smile more often no more fake ones" Zuko said_

_~End Flash Back~_

The aqua blue rose was now in a vase next to her bed it was something she had decided she wanted to wake up to every morning she hoped her rose would never die. She had forgotten what it felt like to actually smile and mean it. It was amazing.

Now the only thing left to do was make it through the rest of the month without getting to attached to all of this.

_- - - -_

Another week past and then another in seven days the month would be up and she would be free to leave without worrying her old life would catch up to her anymore than it already had.

For the past two weeks Katara had spent every day with Zuko she now knew him even better than she had before but one thing made her sad and that was he thought he knew everything about her but all he knew was the life she had made up for herself.

She was an orphan who's whole family had been killed in the war when she was 12. She had met Iroh when she was 13 and he had helped her get back on her feet. She was from the North Pole but left when her parents were killed. She worked as a waitress in the Earth Kingdom but Iroh had invited her to come and visit. It was a very simple life to remember and it was a simple lie she would be able to remember easily. But the one thing she knew she had to lie about the most was her NOT being a Water Bender.

Katara had enjoyed the past two weeks it felt like the old days when she could just have fun but she still had to be on her guard but this time she wasn't on her guard to make sure she wasn't attacked by the Fire Nation this time she was on guard to make sure she wasn't recognised.

Zuko had taken her all over the Fire Nation he had taken her places that Aang would have never taken her when she had been going out with him she didn't care that she wasn't going out with Zuko this right here was still better than anything. He had taken her on picnics, to festivals, and every other thing that she had never though Zuko would do. And he didn't even know who she really was.

Katara was currently sitting in Iroh's tea-house Zuko wasn't there because he had to attend an important meeting with the member from other Nations.

"So Katara are you going to tonight's talent show in the town square?" Iroh asked her as they sat in the back room of the tea-house. Katara was helping him create new recipes for tea.

"Yes Zuko and I are going together" Katara said as she dropped some herbs into a bowl.

"You two are inseparable these days" Iroh said

"Yes" Katara said simply not liking where this was going

"You like him don't you Katara" Iroh said this made Katara look up from her work and blush.

"No" Katara said to quickly

"I can tell your lying but don't worry I wont say anything I know you wont want to start a relation shit with him when he doesn't even know who you are isn't that right 'Kara'" Iroh said

"Exactly" Katara said lowering her head with a sad expression.

"If you want my advice I think you should tell him I am sure he would understand why you did what you did. After all what you did might have been a hard thing to do but in the end it was your choice and you made it. You left and you are now your own person not the person they all wanted you to be" Iroh said as he tipped a bowl of herbs and other ingredients into a tea pot.

"Yet he was always the one who saw past what the others wanted me to be and saw the real me" Katara said before running from the room.

- - - -

"Kara is that you?" Zuko asked looking at figure sitting in the shadows sobbing.

"Go away Zuko not now ok" Katara said her voice sounded dry and miserable.

"No Kara not until you tell me what is wrong" Zuko said as a flame erupted from his right hand casting light on Katara who was sitting out the back of Iroh's tea-house in the small garden where he grew his herbs.

"Really Zuko just leave" Katara said. Zuko realised that her cheeks were not wet at all but her eyes were blood shot from holding back all the tears for so long.

"No" Zuko said as he knelt down next to her and pushed some of her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Why are you even here?" Katara asked looking up at him

"I came to see you and Iroh I just got out of the meeting and Iroh said you ran out here over two hours ago but he didn't want to disturb you that you needed some time to yourself. But that was two hours ago Kara and the reason why I am out here now is because I am worried about you because you are my friend" Zuko said "Now tell me what's wrong?"

"Its my birthday" Katara said simply. This confused Zuko here sitting next to him was a sobbing girl on her birthday.

"I don't understand" Zuko said softly trying to make sure she wouldn't get more upset.

"Everyone that ever loved me is gone I am completely alone" Katara whispered it was true everyone that had loved her were now gone from her life and they would never forgive her for what she had done. Even if she had a good reason.

"You are not alone Kara" Zuko said slightly angry

"How?" Katara asked looking up at him and saw something that she had not seen for a long time in his eyes.

"Because you have me and I love you for who you are Kara you are the most amazing girl I have ever met and trust me one day you will find what you are looking for" Zuko said than the next thing she knew she was hugging him.

"Thankyou"

- - - -

After Katara's little melt down the two got ready to go to the talent show festival. Zuko had told her that there were a few people that he wanted her to meet. Katara had dressed up for this particular occasion Zuko had actually bought her a dress which she wanted to put on as soon as possible.

She was wearing a fire red boob tube style dress that came right down to the ground it was tight until it got to her hips and than fell down around her legs. There was a slit up the right side of the dress stopping just before you could see her underwear. She had matching gloves on that came up past her elbows. The dress had a pattern in gold thread of flames around the bottom of the dress. Her hair was down and dead straight with her gold streaks. She had a gold choker necklace on that had a dangling flame symbol hanging from it she had matching earrings and she had golden eye liner on with black mascara. Her shoes were golden high heals.

"Kara are you ready to go" Zuko asked as she walked out of her apartment where he had been waiting for her.

"Wow!" Zuko said as he looked at her when she came into the street light. "You look beautiful"

"Thankyou you don't look so bad yourself" Katara said sticking out her tongue as he held out his hand for her to take. Zuko was wearing black baggy pants and a fire red long sleeve baggy vest that had a trim of gold around the edges. The vest was undone revealing a tight tank top.

Katara slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him as she though of how perfectly her hand fit into him. She knew she was getting to used to this but at this moment she really couldn't care.

They walked in silence just appreciating the others presence until they reached the city town square that was very close to Katara's apartment and then loud music and laughter met their ears.

"Wow this is bigger than I thought it would be" Katara said as she looked around at all the people who were dancing to the music that one by one someone would go up onto the large stage and sing.

"Fashionably late I see" Iroh said as he walked up to the two both quickly let go of the others hand. Making Iroh chuckle.

"Kara I was wondering if you were going to sing for us?" Iroh asked as they watched everyone dance

"I don't know I'm not very good" Katara said blushing lowering her head

"Kara we both know that you are better than you make yourself out to be now get up there and sing" Iroh said pushing her towards the stage

"Really no Iroh" Katara hissed at him she knew what he was doing and she wouldn't have it.

"Yes Kara, just pretend it's a present for Zuko I know he will love it" Iroh said as he pushed her onto the stage.

Everything seemed to go quiet, every eye was on her. This was something Katara had not planed on she had never wanted every eye on her.

'I'm getting way in over my head' Katara thought 'I need to get away I need to leave before I fall any deeper but first I will give Iroh what he wants and then I am out of here'

_"You make me feel out of my element  
like i'm walkin' on broken glass  
like my worlds spinnin' in slow motion  
and you're movin' too fast_

_were you right, was i wrong  
were you weak, was i strong, yeah  
both of us broken  
caught in the moment  
we lived and we loved  
and we hurt and we joked, yeah  
but the planets all aligned  
when you looked into my eyes  
and just like that  
the chemicals react  
the chemicals react_

_you make me feel out of my element  
like i'm drifting out to the sea  
like the tides pullin' me in deeper  
makin' it harder to breathe_

_we cannot deny, how we feel inside  
we cannot deny_

_were you right, was i wrong  
were you weak, was i strong, yeah  
both of us broken  
caught in the moment  
we lived and we loved  
and we hurt and we joked, yeah  
but the planets all aligned  
when you looked into my eyes  
and just like that  
the chemicals react  
the chemicals react_

_kaleidoscope of colors  
turning hopes on fire, sun is burning  
shining down on both of us  
don?t let us lose it (don?t let us lose it...)_

_were you right, was i wrong  
were you weak, was i strong, yeah  
both of us broken  
caught in the moment  
we lived and we loved  
and we hurt and we joked, yeah_

_we lived  
we loved  
we hurt  
we joked  
we're right  
we're wrong  
we're weak  
we're strong  
we lived to love_

_but the planets all aligned  
when you looked into my eyes  
and just like that  
watch the chemicals react  
and just like that  
the chemicals react  
(the chemicals react)"_

Katara sung her heart out secretly hoping that one special person would open their eyes but she knew better than to hold onto broken strings. Moving quickly she jumped off the stage and looked around for the best way out but when she saw it someone got in her way and that person was Zuko.

"Oh Zuko hi" Katara said with her fake smile back on her face

"Kara that was amazing" Zuko said "I was wondering if you would like to come with me there are a few people over there I want you to meet"

"Umm sure" Katara said with her fake smile still in place "Where are they?" Zuko pointed behind her as she turned to face the group of people over the other side of the dance floor she nearly fell over in surprise there with happy faces stood her old friends. Toph, Sukki, Sokka and Aang they were all there.

"Are you coming?" Zuko called from where he had walked a good 7 meters away from her.

"Yes but I have to talk to Iroh first I will catch up with you" Katara said with a fake smile

"Ok but be quick" Zuko said before he turned and walked away. Katara quickly spotted Iroh in the opposite direction and ran to him.

"Have you any idea what you have done old man" Katara growled angrily surprising Iroh

"Kara what is wrong?" Iroh asked worried about the fuming girl in front of him

"They are what is wrong" Katara growled pointing to the group of her old friends "Iroh you and Torch have turned my life upside down when it was finally getting settled and now there is only a dance floor separating me from my old life and I do not want either side to cross over into the other because I do not want to go back. They wont forgive me for what I put them through but I don't care any more. You can tell them you have known where I have been for the past year for all I care but I am leaving tonight and I am not coming back this time I am going to run and I am not going to look back because this time there is nothing to look back on this past month has been a complete lie. Zuko told me he loved me I know he didn't mean it the way I had hoped he would mean it but the thing is he said it to _'Kara'_and we both know that is not who I am… Goodbye Iroh I don't know if I will ever see you again" Katara said and with one last fleeting glance over her shoulder at the smiling and laughing faces of her old friends she ran.


	3. Chapter 3

Running it seemed like the only thing she did these days. Like she had said many times before this wasn't how she had pictured her life to turn out like after the war but this was how it had turned out like and it was because of the choices she had made. Sometimes she wished she could turn back the hand of time and do things over but she knew that there was no going back now what was done was done and that was the simple yet hard truth of the matter.

It had been two days since she had run from the Fire Nation away from all her troubles away from her past and away from the one person her heart had always belonged to. She was back in her Bounty Hunter clothes that she had been wearing before she was tricked into going to the Fire Nation.

Now that she looked back at her time in the Fire Nation she realised that Iroh and Torch had gotten what they wanted in a way. The first week there she had just tried to avoid everyone and keep to herself, the second and third weeks she had opened up slightly and had some fun and relaxed like they wanted but the fourth week was never actually finished because once again she had run once things got to hard and to complicated.

So was this the new Katara? Was her so called new life revolving around running? She didn't know and right now she didn't care.

Now here she stood back on the same cliff face that she had started her new life almost a year ago at the end of the week.

"What is wrong with me?" Katara whispered as she felt the wind lash at her exposed skin. She waited for a answer, some kind of sign, ANYTHING. But it didn't come.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! WHY IS ALL THIS HAPPENING RIGHT WHEN I WAS FINALLY GETTING SETTLED INTO MY NEW LIFE! DOES THE WORLD HATE ME!" Katara yelled at the top of her lounges she knew no one would here her out here but she just wanted to let it out she wanted to let it all out. The dam had finally broken and with it the promise she had made to herself. She let all the tears flow freely down her face then being captured by the wind and blown away. She let the wind take all her troubles away she let herself be cleansed she was going to start over again she wasn't going to ever go back to her old life again she would continue to avoid it she would continue to fight and ignore it.

Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew around Katara her eyes opened wide at the lashing wind. It was cold so cold. She felt weak all of a sudden and the next thing she knew she was falling over the edge of the cliff down into the icy depths below. And then darkness consumed her light.

__

"Katara… Katara wake up Katara" A familiar voice called out. Katara squinted her eyes groaning she felt like she hadn't slept for days. She lifted her head and realised that she was lying in a crystal clear ankle deep pool of water in the middle of the pool was the moons reflection but when she looked up trying to see it, it wasn't there she threw her head around but everything surrounding the pool of water was just white absolutely nothingness surrounded her.

"I have been waiting Katara" The same familiar voice said Katara looked back at the moons reflection and gasped when she saw a face she had not seen for a very long time.

"Princess Yue?" Katara whispered

"Yes Katara its me" Yue said as she knelt down in the water with Katara.

"We haven't spoken in quiet some time Katara we have a lot to talk about but I am afraid that will have to wait for a later date the reason I have brought you here is to talk about your new life" Yue said making Katara look down at her lap ashamed.

"Katara you don't have to run anymore you think your friends and family will hate you for what you did but they will understand why you did what you did, because it was for a good reason. Katara you need them in your life you may think you don't but trust me when I say you do. If you don't confront them than you will be running for the rest of your life is that how you want you life to turn out? I don't think it is. I have been watching you ever since you left the South Pole and frankly I am proud of you. You have faced so many hardships in such a short period of time yet you still haven't forgotten why you did what you did. You haven't forgotten who the real Katara is. You haven't lost yourself along the way. But you have blocked a part of your life out because you think you do not need it but trust me you do need it more that you think. And you also need 'him' Katara you need Zuko. You need to tell him the truth or it is going to eat you up inside. Go back to the Fire Nation everyone will still be there until the end of the week. The Royal Ball that Iroh told you about is on the exact day you ran away one year ago. I suggest you reveal yourself on that day. Don't wait any longer Katara. Even if you do not decide to return to your old life you still owe it to you old friends and to yourself to explain why you did what you did" Yue said she than placed her hands in the ankle deep water and they started to glow a aqua blue she removed them from the water and the glow started to swirl from her hands and form into a medium size tear/rain drop shape.

"This is a present from me to you" Yup said "Hold out your right arm" Katara did what she was told she was still trying to process everything Yue had said to her.

In a flash of aqua blue light the tear/rain drop was burnt into her right upper arm like a tattoo. Katara bit her lower lip in pain but didn't let out a single sound.

"Katara this will give you a power no other human possesses this power will allow you to keep a promise you made to a friend a long time ago and most importantly it will give you light when all other light has gone out" Yue said as Katara stopped biting her lip.

"Why are you giving me this" Katara whispered

"Because it is going to help you get through the next few days" Yue said as she stood up from where she was kneeling "Good luck Katara" And with that everything started to fade away and the next thing Katara knew she was chocking on water.

She started to swim to the surface and when she broke through the surface she started to gasp for air.

"Ironic a water bender nearly drowning" Katara mumbled as she started to swim to the shore.

- - - -

She seemed to be breaking a lot of promises lately because she was back. Back in the Fire Nation it had taken her longer getting back here than it took to get to the cliff because along the way she had been practising with her new abilities they weren't easy to use but she had gotten the hang of them by the time she got back to the Fire Nation. It seemed like this time she was actually going to keep a promise. She had promised Iroh she would go to this Ball and she was but this time for a different reason.

So now here she stood outside the Ball room still dressed in her Bounty Hunter clothing but with a black cloak hiding it for the time being.

"Miss the Ball is already over most of the guests have already left only close friends are left inside" A servant said after walking out through the huge double doors.

"Yes I am a old friend of all the people in there" Katara said with a fake smile

"Oh than please go in" The servant said holding the door open for her she gave a polite curtsy and than walked through the door to see Zuko, Toph, Sokka, Suki and Aang she was the missing piece to this puzzle and she knew it.

Katara looked at the group she once was a part of they had all changed. Toph would be 14 years old now she was taller and had nice curves. Her hair was the same style as it was a year ago but it was longer at the back slightly. Her eyes were still the same misty white that showed she was blind but those eyes were the things that held so much emotion. Sokka had grown a lot he was much taller now sightly taller than Zuko he now wore his hair down and he had filled out a lot. He now had muscular arms and chest and his face looked older. Suki was taller around the same height as Katara she was skinny and had more curves than she had a year ago. Her hair was the same length and she looked older all together.

Taking a deep breathe Katara started to walk further into the Ball room. Her footsteps echoed on the shinny floor making herself known. The group stopped talking and turned to her everyone looked confused except Zuko he however looked happy, angry and hurt all at the same time.

"Your back?" Zuko asked walking towards her but stopped at least ten meters away. Katara didn't say anything she just nodded her head.

"So after just running off on me a week ago now you decide to show your face" Zuko said it was obvious he was angry that she had left but Katara didn't know why he was this angry.

"Why are you so angry?" Katara asked making her voice a little higher in volume so the others wouldn't recognise her voice just yet.

"Why?" Zuko spat "Maybe because I thought we could have been more than friends you didn't even say goodbye let alone an explanation of why you ran off"

"We can never be more than friends… not until you know the truth not until you know who I am" Katara said Zuko raised an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything Katara was about to start explaining when a new voice was added into the conversation.

"I hate to interrupt but could someone tell us what's going on" Suki said as the rest of the group walked up so they were standing behind Zuko.

"I met Kara a month ago at my Uncles tea-house she avoided me for a week but the next two weeks after that we started to hang out and spend every day together… I fell in love but I didn't even know it until she ran away a week ago" Zuko said the last bit in a whisper but everyone heard it.

"You are in love with someone who doesn't exist" Katara whispered

"What?" Zuko asked

"I lie about everything" Katara said in a loud voice so they all heard her. "About my past, were I come from, where I work, everything was a lie even my name"

"I don't believe you" Zuko said in a shocked voice

"Its true my family didn't die in the war only one person very close to me died the rest are still alive. I don't come from the North Pole I come from the South Pole. I did leave there a year before the war ended and I went back after but I didn't like how my life was turning out like when I went back so I ran away a year ago and haven't stopped running since. I am a Bounty Hunter and Iroh is the only one who is connected with my past and my new life" Katara said she than took her cloak off revealing her outfit.

"You lie to me… every word that came out of your mouth was a lie" Zuko said

"Yes" Katara whispered looking away fighting the tears that threatened to break free.

"How can you stand here now and still have any dignity left!" Zuko yelled at her making the others look shocked

"Zuko don't you think your being a little bit to harsh" Sokka whispered but Zuko ignored him.

"Did you actually like hanging out with me or did you just pretend to?" Zuko asked

"Of cause I did and that's the reason I left I was getting to attached if I stayed any longer than I might have been recognised. Hanging out with you for the those two weeks was the greatest and most dangerous thing I could have done" Katara said

"What do you mean" Zuko asked

"I want you to look at me" Katara whispered

"I am looking at you" Zuko said rolling his eyes in frustration

"I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT ME! REALLY LOOK AT ME AND TRY AND REMEMBER! I WANT YOU ALL TO REMEMBER! REMEMBER WHO YOU LOST ON THIS DAY ONE YEAR AGO AND I WANT YOU TO THAN LOOK AT ME AND TELL ME YOU DON'T RECOGNISE ME!" Katara yelled her voice back to normal before silence broke out it seemed like a century past before anyone blinked or moved.

"Katara?" Zuko gasped as soon as he said her name Katara felt those tears running down her face.

"No way Sugar Queen" Toph yelled running forward and tackling Katara to the ground in a huge hug.

"Its good to see you as well Toph" Katara laughed still crying everyone but Zuko ran forward helping Katara and Toph to their feet before crushing Katara in a group hug. Katara was smiling again but it felt different from when Zuko made her smile it still made her happy but made her sad because Zuko was the only one who wasn't joining in trying to rip her apart with hugs and questions. Before Katara could call out to him she saw him walk out the Ball room doors leaving her to explain everything to the others which she did.

- - - -

It had taken her a long 2 hours before she ditched the others to go find Zuko. She searched his room and every other place she thought he might be before getting annoyed and wanting some fresh air. She walked out onto the balcony from the dinning room and lent against the railing.

"Why" A voice Katara knew said from behind her suddenly making her spin around coming face to face with Zuko.

"The others have already told me all the details of why you ran in the first place and we all understand why you did what you did but why didn't you tell me who you were the past month why did you lie" Katara could see that all the anger hand left his eyes and they were just left with hurt.

"Because I was scared. Scared you would hate me. I was scared of being rejected" Katara whispered lowering her head so she was looking at the ground.

"I would never of rejected you I told you once before but this time I mean it even more I love you. I didn't fall in love with the person you were pretending to be I fell in love with the girl that you are. Your personality, your smile, you hair, everything about what makes you Katara and not some other random girl" Zuko said walking closer to her before pulling her into a hug letting her cry into his shirt.

"You don't have to run anymore" Zuko whispered in her ear. Katara pulled away wiping her eyes looking up at him.

"For the past month I have been breaking so many promises that I made to myself but there is one promise I made that I can keep" Katara whispered

"I promised you what now seems like a very long time ago that I would try and heal you of your scar" Katara said reaching a hand up to touch the ruff skin

"How?" Zuko asked

"I was given a power from the moon spirit Princess Yue it allows me to heal anything that includes scars that look unhealable… did you want me to try" Katara asked looking nervous.

"Everyone deserves a new start Katara you told me that once. This scar is one of the things that is left reminding everyone of what the Fire Nation did to this world I need to heal the world Katara yet people still look at me like I am a monster they believe in me but that doesn't mean that I don't scare them… I want you to try" Zuko whispered the last part

Katara's new tattoo started to glow aqua blue as she brought her now glowing hand to Zuko's scar as soon as her hand touched his skin there was a flash of aqua blue light and the next thing Katara knew she was stepping backwards covering her open mouth in shock at the man standing in front of her. He was no longer the banished prince of the Fire Nation cursed to hold the scar his Father had given him. He was now the New Fire Lord the man who was going to heal the world. He no longer held the scar of the banished prince. He was now Fire Lord Zuko. But to Katara he would always be Zuko just Zuko no titles needed.


	4. Chapter 4 PREVIEW

CHAP 4 PREVIEW

This isn't how Katara thought her life would turn out like after the war was over. It was more that she had imagined it was better than she could of ever dreamed. It might have taken awhile to get to this day when everything was perfect but Katara didn't care she could not have wished for a better life. It was perfect and this is how she wanted it to stay. But the question that still haunted her dreams was 'Will it stay this way?'

* * *

**HEY EVERYONE OK SO THIS IS THE PREVIEW 4 THE NEXT CHAP NOW HERE COMES THE FUN PART FOR ALL YOU PPL THAT HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING MY STORY AND OR REVIEWING THIS IS HOW I AM GOING TO SAY THANK YOU. THE NEXT CHAP IS DEDICATED TO ALL OF YOU AND I WANT YOU ALL TO REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT CHAP AND I WILL TRY MY BEST TO PUT ALL YOUR IDEAS TOGETHER TO MAKE ONE VERY LONG AND VERY AWESOME CHAP. SO USE THIS PREVIEW OF THE START OF THE NEXT CHAP AND TELL ME WHERE YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IT FROM HERE! ITS A TEAM EFFORT YOU SUPPLY ME WITH THE IDEAS AND I WILL WRITE IT ALL FOR YOU. I HOPE YOU ALL REVIEW SOON!**


	5. Not a Chap

**Hey Everyone**

**I want to say sorry but I wont be uploading any new chaps for a couple of weeks.**

**Because my half yearly exams are next week, this week is a week dedicated to study  
and next week I am going to try and study as much as I can in the free time I have. **

**But dont worry after these two weeks I will be back and trying to make up for those  
two weeks of none writting.**

**But there is something that you guys can help me with, what I really need is a name.  
Like a fashion deginer name, shop name, something like that. You know like SUPRÉ,  
Diva, Vogue, names like that.**

**If you guys can come up with any really good names that could be used as a fashion  
design name that has NOT been already created than could you please respond to this  
and give me your ideas it would help ALOT!**

THANKYOU & SORRY AGAIN


	6. Chapter 6

**Dedicated to - ML7, Chocolate Thunder, Kenokosan and Emaleewahl.**

**Thankyou for all your idea's and if you look you will see that I have used all your ideas and put them together to make a chap dedicated to you all.**

**Hope you like xx.**

- - - -

This isn't how Katara thought her life would turn out like after the war was over. It was more that she had imagined it was better than she could of ever dreamed. It might have taken awhile to get to this day when everything was perfect but Katara didn't care she could not have wished for a better life. It was perfect and this is how she wanted it to stay. But the question that still haunted her dreams was 'Will it stay this way?'

- - - -

It had been a week since the truth came out, and so far everything had been perfect. Katara had talked with all her friends about what they had been doing for the past year.

And when she found out it truly hurt her, knowing that she had missed out on so much. Not only had she missed out on so much important events but her leaving had effected her friends lives much more than she had ever expected it to.

Not only had she missed out on her own brothers engagement to Suki but by her leaving she had caused her own brother to get into a fight with her father causing them to now not speak to each other at all.

Aang and Toph had started to officially go out but then almost break up because she had left causing Aang to start to search for her determined to not stop until he found her. The only reason he had stopped was because Toph had threatened to break up with him for she never saw him anymore.

But the one person that her leaving had effected the most was Zuko. He had searched for her for months but he was forced to stop because he had a Nation to run and a world to rebuild and one girl wasn't worth the world not being healed. According to the others it had broken his heart having to stop looking for her, even though Zuko would never admit any of this.

Her leaving had hurt so many people but still they had forgiven her and looked the other way not caring about anything other than. And that's what made them true friends.

- - - -

Katara walked down the fire palace halls heading towards the dinning room, today she planned to spend her day with her friends and hopefully get some alone time with Zuko. She didn't know what their relationship was exactly. They had both in one way or another admitted that they had feelings for the other but yet they still hadn't really got the chance to actually talk.

Arriving outside the dinning room doors she stopped suddenly upon hearing voices and they were yelling.

Carefully opening the doors the slightest fraction she moved closed and peaked through to see a scene that she had not been hoping for. Sure she wasn't usually an eavesdropper but this obviously had something to do with her and curiosity had gotten the best of her.

The scene that was unfolding before her very eyes didn't only fill her heart with pride because of one side but also broke her heart because of the other side.

Her brother and her father stood facing each other with looks ready to kill.

"She is coming home with me and you have no say in this matter Sokka you are not her father, I am" Her dad yelled

"Are you blind! Why the hell do you think she ran away in the first place" Sokka yelled at the top of his lounges stepping forwards and jabbing his father in the chest

"It was because of YOU! Your own daughter ran away for a year because of YOU! Because YOU were going to sell her off! Do you know how she felt, No of course YOU don't because you didn't care! It didn't matter that she didn't want to be sold off to the highest bidder like a prize to be won! All you cared about was what YOU wanted! YOU are the worst father a daughter could ask for!" Sokka snapped venom dripping from each word that he spat at his father

"You don't know what your talking about Sokka now where is she" Their father said ignoring everything his son just said

"Right here" Katara said bursting through the doors

"Katara" Her father yelled as he ran and pulled her into a hug

"GET OFF ME!" Katara screamed pushing him away shocking both her father and her brother

"YOU!" Katara pointed her finger at her so called father "ARE NOT MY FATHER! MY FATHER WOULDN'T SELL ME OFF AS SOME KIND OF PRIZE TO BE WON! MY FATHER WOULD CARE WHAT I WANTED! AND YOU ARE NONE OF THOSE THINGS! MY FATHER WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO WHAT SOKKA JUST SAID! MY FATHER IS NOT YOU!" Katara screamed

"Katara?" He whispered looking hurt

"I SHALL NOT GO HOME WITH YOU BECAUSE THAT PLACE IS NOT MY HOME! I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO MARRY SOMEONE THAT I DO NOT LOVE! AND I WILL NOT TREAT YOU LIKE MY FATHER UNTIL YOU START ACTING LIKE A REAL FATHER!" And with that she turned on her heals and ran from the room.

And once again she was running, but this time from something different. This time she wasn't running from her old life. This time she was running from herself. Because as soon as she had seen her father she had also seen who she used to be. The little girl who did everything her father told her to without a second thought to if it was right or wrong. And she never wanted to be that girl ever again.

- - - -

She sat hugging her legs up to her chest in a empty corridor, it was dark and only her shadow could be made out from the little light there was streaming in through the curtained windows.

She didn't know what to do, she didn't think she could face her father again. But she knew she couldn't run from this. No one way or another she would have to face him again and not run away… again. But she didn't know how she was going to be able to do it. She had never said or done anything like that before to her father, it was so disrespectful and if she was still her old self she would be crying and begging for forgiveness but no not this Katara, the new Katara would never do something so pitiful as beg for forgiveness like a brainless idiot. She had more respect for herself to do something like that.

"Katara?" A voice suddenly snapped her out of her train of thought.

Looking up she meet those golden eyes that she had dreamt of for years now.

"Zuko what are you doing here?" She chocked out

"Looking for you of course" He said as he slid down the wall and sat next to her looking her in the eyes

"Why" Katara asked as she broke their gaze and looked down at her knees

"Because I was worried about you, Sokka told me everything" Zuko said as he took her chin in his palm and turned her head so she was looking at him again

"Why do you care so much" Katara whispered

"I have already answered that question… because I love you" Zuko said as he leaned forward and captured her lips with his pulling her into a soft but passionate yet innocent kiss.

"I love you too" Katara whispered in between kisses

As they broke apart Katara slowly opened her eyes but gasped when she saw what Zuko was doing.

He was… no he couldn't be… but he was… he was down on one knee kneeling in front of her holding a tiny red box.

"Zuko?" Katara whispered covering her mouth with both hands

"Katara will you marry me" Zuko said as he opened the box revealing the most gorgeous ring Katara had ever seen.


	7. STORY HAS BEEN ADOPTED

**THIS STORY IS NO LONGER UP FOR ADOPTION.**

**THANKYOU 'Turion' FOR ADOPTING THIS STORY AND YOU CAN FIND THE NEW VERSION OF THIS OLD STORY ON THE NEW OWNER OF THE STORY'S PAGE. **

**THANK YOU TO ALL MY FAITHFUL READERS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME FROM THE START AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ENJOY THE NEW AND IMPROVED VERSION OF THIS OLD NOT THAT GOOD STORY :) **

**SORRY IT HAS COME TO THIS BUT I KNOW THAT 'Turion' WILL DO WONDERS WITH THIS STORY AND I'M SURE YOU WILL ALL ENJOY IT BETTER THAN YOU ENJOYED MY RANDOM IMPULSE WRITING :)**

**UNTIL LATER GUYS**

**KTHXBAI**


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